


green vials and flowers

by skuls



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Post-Episode: s05e07 Emily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-30 09:14:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15748707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skuls/pseuds/skuls
Summary: Mulder visits Scully and Emily in the hospital.





	green vials and flowers

Mulder gives Scully a small green vial in the middle of the night outside of Emily’s hospital room, and he goes back to a hotel and sleeps like the dead. He’s technically been staying at Bill Scully's—all of his stuff is there—but he’s not ready to face them, especially without Scully, and without the security of his own room. He goes and sleeps until sometime the next evening, and then he’s getting a tearful, exhausted call from Scully that shocks him out of sleep. Emily is going to live, she says, Emily is going to be okay, and Mulder wants to cry with the relief of it. That little girl who looks just like Scully, coloring on the floor as Scully sits across from her, that tiny weight in his arms, and she is going to live. He shuts his eyes, rubs at his face with the heel of his hand. Says, “Scully, that’s wonderful,” and means it.

The next morning, he stops by the hospital gift shop and buys a bouquet of flowers and a small stuffed bear. It’s an impulse, but one that he leans into strongly, if only because he doesn’t want to lose Scully. If only because he wants to see a smile on that poor kid’s face; he knows she’s been through hell and back in the past couple weeks. He tucks his paraphernalia under his arm and takes the elevator up to the children’s ward. Passes room after room until he reaches Emily’s, taps on the door before entering.  

Emily’s sitting up in bed, red-blonde hair stuck to her temple with sweat, boredly hitting at a cup of green Jello with a plastic spoon. She doesn’t look up when Mulder enters but Scully does, sitting on the bed beside her with an arm resting behind her on the pillows. She seems to draw closer to her daughter in an almost unconscious protectiveness before she sees who it is, and her face softens. “Mulder,” she says softly, almost warmly, and Mulder smiles automatically. He’s brought them flowers, the way he brought her flowers when she was dying. “Hey, Em,” she says in that soft motherly voice he’s seen her use around children they meet on cases, and he swallows roughly. “You remember my friend Mulder? From the children’s home?”

Emily nods. She looks up silently, her mouth and teeth stained green from the Jello, and her eyes widen when she sees the flowers in Mulder’s hands. “Those are pretty,” she says, almost matter-of-factly.

Mulder grins wider. “You think so?” She nods. “I thought you might like them.” She nods again, her eyes huge and full of excitement.

“Thank you, Mulder,” Scully says softly, and her smile makes him melt a little inside. She stands and takes the bouquet from him gently, setting them on Emily’s bedside table. “I’ll have to get them some water,” she says, and Emily nods seriously, putting the Jello cup down and touching one of the velvety petals with one finger.

“I brought you something else,” Mulder offers, and holds up the bear for them both to see as he steps closer to the bed. Emily’s eyes widen all over again, and she looks at him questioningly as if to ask, For me? “I thought you might could use a friend,” he continues, and Emily takes the bear from his hands, hugging it close to her chest as if someone is going to take it from her.

He hears a sniffle off to the left, and looks over to see Scully wiping her eyes quickly. “Thank you, Mulder,” she says softly, eyes downcast as if she’s embarrassed for getting emotional.

“Anytime,” he says, a similar lump rising in his own throat.

“Thank you,” Emily says meekly into the fur of the bear, burrowing underneath the scratchy hospital covers.

Mulder clears his throat. “You’re welcome, kiddo,” he says, and she hides her face shyly.

Scully reaches out to touch her hair, gingerly, but she pulls away almost as soon as her fingers make contact with the back of Emily’s head. She doesn’t seem to notice either way. “I’m gonna talk to Mulder for a minute, okay, sweetie?” she says quietly. “Do you want to watch TV?”

Emily nods sweetly. Scully reaches down and flips on the TV. It’s already on a cartoon channel. The little girl sits up with interest. “Do you want to talk outside?” Scully asks, and Mulder nods. They move together towards the door.

As they step outside, Mulder sees that Scully is stifling a yawn with the heel of her hand. “Scully, when’s the last time you slept?” he asks.

She waves off his question dismissively. “Slept some last night,” she murmurs firmly. “I just… I don’t wanna leave her.” She sniffles again, her eyes wet. “I really thought we were going to lose her, Mulder,” she whispers. “And you… you found a cure. You saved her.” She makes a small, weepy sound and embraces him hard as if on an impulse.

He strokes her hair gently, his nose tucked against the top of her head. “You need to sleep, Scully,” he says, and she chuffs out a laugh against his tie. “I’d be glad to… sit with her and let you get some shut-eye,” he says. “More than glad.”

She sniffles as she pulls away, wiping at her eyes, swiping hair behind her ears. “Oh, thank you, Mulder, but I’m okay,” she says. “After everything that’s happened… I’ll certainly keep you in mind if I just can’t bear it anymore, but I want to be here with her.”

“I understand,” he says, reaching down to squeeze her elbow gently. And he does. And he’ll sit here with the both of them, if that’s what Scully wants.

She smiles a little, in the same shy way that Emily had earlier, ducks her head again. “The social worker came by,” she says. “She said they’re reviewing my application. She… she says she thinks I have a good chance.”

“That’s amazing, Scully,” he says immediately.

“It is.” She tucks her hair behind her ear again, looks up to meet his eyes. Her expression is guarded, almost vulnerable. “Will you still… be a witness on my behalf?” she asks, and she seems uncertain.

“Of course, Scully,” he says, just as immediately. He reaches out and touches her elbow again, softly. “Of course I will.”

They stand together out in the hall, eyes locked, his hand on her arm. Scully smiles again, gratefully, and Mulder smiles, too.

Inside the hospital room, Emily laughs, an almost surprised sound of delight. She’s still holding the bear tightly, and even from out in the hall, Mulder can see the glinting gold of Scully’s cross on top of her hospital gown.


End file.
